The VIBE inside OBF, a strength training gym in downtown Toronto

OBF Gyms takes a no nonsense approach to getting results with weight training

A friend had told me about OBF gyms after he found out I was on a quest to find the best gyms in Toronto. I had never heard of them before and was curious to see what they were all about. The first impression of them while I was booking in my class was that they are very serious about getting results and as long as you are committed, they will take responsibility for it. I appreciated that they know who they were and stood behind their mission. A bit different then some of the recent classes, I’ve been attending, OBF focuses on strength weight training and proper form. Here’s my experience as I take you through the VIBE of OBF Gyms located in Moss Park.

The Prep

Change Rooms + Amenities

OBF is a no-frills gym that focuses strictly on the workout. You’re not going to find fancy amenities or toiletries here. They do have towel service and the basics, but they’re all about form, technique and accountability here. The workout is front and centre and they want to keep it that way.

The Workout

Instructor(s)

I trained with Jacqui, who was a competitive body-builder in the past. She was very nice, but ruthless with her workout. She took the time to really explain proper form and made sure during every rep, that I was keeping it. I really liked that it was more about going slow and doing it right versus doing it fast for the sake of just getting through it. Being used to high intensity (HIIT) workouts, it was a nice change on my body to do heavy lifting and slow things down. Jacqui was really supportive and patient while we went through each exercise. She has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to training and hitting workout goals.

The Intensity, Quality & Difficulty

I wouldn’t say this is a high intensity workout at OBF, but it is challenging especially if you’re like me and not used to doing strength training (ie. dead lifts, barbell squats, leg presses, etc..). You’re basically doing 5-6 strength training exercises at a slow pace with proper form. You’re not going to sweat like crazy or drastically increase your heart rate here, but you will continue burning long after the workout.

The VIBE

In terms of difficulty, it really depends on where you are in your fitness level. For me, since I’m not used to doing heavy lifting or strength weight training, it took me out of my comfort zone. I always avoided things like barbell squats or dead lifts. Jacqui really made me feel comfortable though and educated me on what I may have been doing wrong in the past and how I can fix this to incorporate strength training into my routine. So expect a solid workout effort and really pushing your body to lift more than you would on your own. They do a great job of making it feel like it’s one-on-one training while in a group setting. And having others in the group helps keep your mindset strong and encourage you on those last few reps when you want to give up.

The Aftermath

Since I did leg day, immediately after I could feel it. Walking down the stairs as I was leaving was like walking on jelly. I felt great though and stronger than ever. Since my body wasn’t used to that type of workout, I could feel a difference and muscles that have been newly activated. You’re really going to feel it the next day though so I encourage some stretching afterwards. For me, this is something I would incorporate into my routine maybe 1-2 times per week, but I do prefer having the majority of my workouts be high intensity. It made me realize that I do neglect strength training and OBF does a great job at weight training the right way.

Location: 235 Queen Street East, 2nd Floor, Toronto, ON
Contact: 416.519.1910, Website
Neighbourhood:  Moss Park
Type of Workout: Personal Training, Strength Training
Booking: Website 

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